― Chapter 12 ―
Appreciation

Ignacio de Soto sat in his office staring at the wanted poster on his desk. He had already doubled the reward on Reyes twice, but no one had turned him in, nor had the lancers managed to capture the bandit and his gang. He sighed. Zorro would probably have managed to track them two weeks ago, when they first started causing trouble in Los Angeles. He never thought he would see the day that he wished for the masked man to appear. What he wouldn't give to see Reyes and his gang riding into the pueblo with their hands bound and Z's carved into their jackets! The alcalde looked out through the open office door toward the tavern. He jumped from his chair when he saw Don Alejandro stepping of the porch. He walked quickly across the plaza to catch the caballero before he rode out of town.
`Buenos días, Don Alejandro! I haven't seen your son and his wife in town for over a month, except in church. How are they?'
Don Alejandro eyed him suspiciously. What was the alcalde up to now?
`They are fine. They've been spending as much time as possible together and with their son. But I can assure you, Alcalde, Diego knows exactly what's happening in town. He is Zorro after all, and, as you know, he has to keep the governor informed.'
`Indeed. Well, when you speak to him, would you convey my appreciation for everything he's done?'
`Appreciation?' Don Alejandro repeated, surprise evident in his voice. `For everything he's done?'
`Yes,' the alcalde confirmed. `Even though he gave me trouble sometimes, he also fought against the criminals that harassed our pueblo. I didn't see it until now, but my lancers aren't very good at catching bandidos. I'm sure Zorro would have brought Reyes and his gang to justice by now.'
`So am I, but he will not ride again.'
`I'm not asking him to, Don Alejandro. I just wish to end our differences.'
The don stared at him for a moment before nodding.
`I'm not sure what good it will do, Señor, but I will tell him.'
Don Alejandro mounted his horse and rode out of the pueblo, leaving the alcalde to wonder how Diego was going to react.

After his siesta the alcalde sat in his office again, staring at Reyes' wanted poster. What was he going to do about that bandit? He could increase the reward again, but he doubted that would do any good. He was shaken from his reverie by the whinny of a horse. He jumped up to investigate when the horse whinnied again and again. He froze as he looked out his door. There, standing in the middle of the plaza, was Toronado, but his master was nowhere to be seen. De Soto turned back into his office, but froze again. Diego was leaning against the desk.
`How did you get in here?'
Diego pointed at the small skylight, and merrily said, `For old times' sake.'
`You could have used the door, you know,' de Soto huffed.
`Oh, don't get angry, Alcalde. I was just having some fun.'
De Soto looked him up and down, taking in his appearance.
`You changed your wardrobe?' he asked, referring to Diego's new suit.
`What can I say?' Diego chuckled. `My wife likes it when I wear black.'
The alcalde laughed, surprising himself as well as Diego.
`So what brings you here, Don Diego?' he asked, sitting down behind his desk.
`My father tells me that you're having trouble with some bandidos. I've come to offer my services.'
`What services? Don Alejandro told me that Zorro would never ride again.'
`And he won't,' Diego confirmed, `but that doesn't mean I can't help you.'
`What exactly did you have in mind?' de Soto asked curiously.
`Well, I could give your lancers some lessons in fencing, tracking, things like that. That would help them be a lot better at their job,' Diego said pointedly. `I could give you some fencing lessons as well.'
`I would appreciate the help in improving the training of my lancers, but I really don't need any lessons in fencing.'
`I hate to be blunt, Alcalde,' Diego grinned, `but you didn't stand a chance against me, not that you ever will, and I'm sure that by now you won't fare any better against Victoria.'
De Soto stared at him. Surely he wasn't serious?
`You've been teaching your wife to fence?'
`Yes, and she's a quick study. After three lessons she could have easily defeated Sergeant Mendoza,' Diego replied with pride. `Now as to the training of your lancers, I will discuss it with the sergeant. I assume he is still of duty this evening.'
`How did you know that?'
Diego simply grinned at him, like Zorro used to do.
`Don Diego, you really don't need to continue acting like Zorro for me to take you seriously,' the alcalde sighed.
`I'm not acting, Señor. Not anymore.'
The alcalde looked at Diego incredulously, still expecting him to change back into the studious caballero he had pretended to be. He had not been present during Don Alejandro's speech.
`Let me know when you've changed your mind about those fencing lessons,' Diego grinned, moving toward the door. `Adiós!'
He gave his customary salute before stepping out of the office. The alcalde frowned. Diego definitely said when, not if, he changed his mind. Was the caballero really that confident that he would?
He barely heard Diego call across the plaza, `Sergeant Mendoza! Victoria is making tamales for dinner! Don't be late!'
`Sí, Don Diego!' the sergeant called back.

Diego walked around the mission in search of Padre Benites. He found the priest sitting on his porch.
`Padre?'
`Diego, my boy! Come, sit.'
`Gracias.' Diego took a seat. `I hope I'm not disturbing you.'
`Not at all! I was reading the volume on ornithology that you gave me. It's very good,' the padre replied, cheerfully holding up the book.
He set it down on the table and turned his full attention to his guest.
`What can I do for you today?'
`Nothing in particular. I just came to visit. I'm sorry I didn't come sooner, Padre. I...'
`That's quite all right, Diego,' the priest interrupted. `I wasn't expecting a visit. I assumed you would be busy. How is Victoria?'
`She is wonderful. She does miss working at the tavern, but she wants to spend most of her time with me, at least for now,' Diego answered with a smile.
`And how are Don Alejandro and Felipe adjusting to having her at the hacienda?'
`I think that my father is happy to finally have a woman around the house again,' Diego chuckled. `Felipe likes it too. We've been working on his speech together. It still requires a lot of practice for him to speak. Fortunately Victoria is getting better at understanding him when he signs. We've also been spending quite a bit of time together, becoming a real family.'
`So everything turned out the way you hoped?' the padre asked cheerfully.
`Better than I hoped! And I really appreciate all your help,' Diego replied.
`I did nothing.'
`You helped Victoria have faith. You explained things to her. You helped me find the courage to tell her I'm Zorro. That is not nothing.'
`But even without my help, you would have found your way to each other,' the priest shared his conviction.
`I'm not so sure, Padre,' Diego sighed. `Without your help it would have taken me a long time to get over my fear of rejection. Victoria would not have accepted me so readily.'
Padre Benites didn't like to dwell on what might have been, but he wanted to make one thing clear to the young man sitting across from him.
`Diego, if she had not come to me for advice, she would have come to you, her best friend, after your return from Monterey. You would have seen for yourself how much she loved Zorro, not the mask but the man behind it, and you would have told her. In the end she would have understood. I'm sure of it.'
`She would have come to me?' Diego asked incredulously.
The padre nodded vigorously.
`You're right, if she had come to me, I would probably have told her. I don't like to see Victoria upset,' Diego sighed. He chuckled before continuing, `I think the person I really should have asked you to talk to was the alcalde.'
`Is he having trouble accepting that you are the man behind Zorro's mask?' Padre Benites frowned.
`Not at all,' Diego laughed. `The mask he can't seem to see past yet is Diego's.'

Author's note: I hope you've had as much fun reading this story as I had writing it. Thank you all for reading and reviewing. I want to thank my mom for beta reading; she really helped me a lot.